Playoff Chances

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Fine, Conn Smythe, a Cup, and a Norris! He can't retire until he gets all three!

Again, you mean?

Lids accomplished that feat in 2002.

[Barrie 900]

Gotta win another one before Lidstrom retires.

Lidstrom, and I'd like to see Ozzie win one more too... That's the thing that bugs me the most about losing Game 7 last year, Ozzie would have won the Conn Smythe.

I still think we have a very good chance at winning the division and finishing 3rd in the Conference.

[titanium2 867]

Again, you mean?

Lids accomplished that feat in 2002.

He wasn't the captain though,

[Barrie 900]

He wasn't the captain though,

Don't get greedy!

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I don't like our chances of getting back to the Finals.

On paper, this Wings team isn't that much different than the Cup winning team of 2008. Everyone talks about Hossa, but he wasn't here then. We don't have Sammy and Hudler, but have added Williams and Bertuzzi (although that hasn't resulted in a wash like many people hoped). The rest of the team looks virtually the same.

The difference, however, is that Lidstrom and Rafalski were better players back then. Also, Datsyuk was great for us in those playoffs, and he hasn't been himself since last year's playoffs began. Also, there's no telling whether Ozzie is geared for another Cup run. Will Franzen be back to playoff form after missing the entire season? Furthermore, the injuries keep piling on, and look like they'll continue throughout the season.

Lastly, it's been over 25 years since a team made three straight Finals appearances. It's very hard to get back there every year. San Jose and Chicago will both be hungrier and more ready for a long playoff run. I just don't like our chances to get back to the Finals, all things considered.

[Guest Crymson]

DON'T TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? PLAYOFFS??? I JUST HOPE WE CAN WIN A GAME... ANOTHER GAME.

[Guest Shoreline]

I'm New to LetsgoWings. I've been a wings fan since the late 80's. i was wondering from all the wings fans like myself. do you guys think when the wings get healthy. do they have a chance this season to make it back to the finals. i still don't think chicago is that good. wings have all most the same team as 2008 minus dallas drake, samuelson and hudler. kopecky wasn't that good. if we can get another scorer at the trade deadline i still think we're a cup contender. hossa goes to teams he thinks he'll win a cup with but he's a curse. huet is not a stanley cup type winning goalie. i hope the injury bug stops and we can be healthy for a long playoff run. nice to be on this site with you guys and gals. GO Wings. Let's get the cup back to where it belongs. In Detroit. I hate bettman. i think he set up last years finals so his lover crosby could win the cup. i think right after crosby won the cup. he and bettman got a hotel room for the night. that's my opinion.

lol?

[cupforwings 138]

I don't like our chances of getting back to the Finals.

On paper, this Wings team isn't that much different than the Cup winning team of 2008. Everyone talks about Hossa, but he wasn't here then. We don't have Sammy and Hudler, but have added Williams and Bertuzzi (although that hasn't resulted in a wash like many people hoped). The rest of the team looks virtually the same.

The difference, however, is that Lidstrom and Rafalski were better players back then. Also, Datsyuk was great for us in those playoffs, and he hasn't been himself since last year's playoffs began. Also, there's no telling whether Ozzie is geared for another Cup run. Will Franzen be back to playoff form after missing the entire season? Furthermore, the injuries keep piling on, and look like they'll continue throughout the season.

What fact is that based on? How does it look like the injuries will continue throughout the season? Can you see into the future or something?

, it's been over 25 years since a team made three straight Finals appearances. It's very hard to get back there every year. San Jose and Chicago will both be hungrier and more ready for a long playoff run. I just don't like our chances to get back to the Finals, all things considered.

And what makes you say that San Jose and Chicago will be hungrier for a long playoff run? We have young guys who will be just as hungry, and we have many old guys with 1 or 2 years left who want it just as bad. If anything, I think our team will be more hungry and more ready to go come playoff times. Our players will be rested and back in playoff form , and with a healthy roster, we our top 3 in the West.

It will be hard, but I wouldn't count us out just yet

[Jake Ryan 1]

DON'T TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? PLAYOFFS??? I JUST HOPE WE CAN WIN A GAME... ANOTHER GAME.

Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs? Playoffs?

[puckbags 863]

[Lidstrom for life 20]

I think the Wings will be fine this year but that's simply not true.

I guess I didn't explain that well. I don't mean I think this team is as good as last years because its not. What I mean is I think we will make the playoffs and once that happens who knows. I think we are one of maybe 8-10 teams with the skill level necessary to win it all, the way I see the playoffs is all of those teams have a decent shot at winning, it just comes down to who gets lucky with injuries and matchups and who has the hot goalie. Just look at last years playoffs, San Jose was probably the most skilled team but they ran into a hot goalie against Anaheim and went out in the first round. Boston and New Jersey were both on paper much better teams than Carolina but they both lost to the canes. We could win it all or we could get bounced in the first round, thats whats so great (and scary) about the playoffs.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

What fact is that based on? How does it look like the injuries will continue throughout the season? Can you see into the future or something?

And what makes you say that San Jose and Chicago will be hungrier for a long playoff run? We have young guys who will be just as hungry, and we have many old guys with 1 or 2 years left who want it just as bad. If anything, I think our team will be more hungry and more ready to go come playoff times. Our players will be rested and back in playoff form , and with a healthy roster, we our top 3 in the West.

It will be hard, but I wouldn't count us out just yet

Because that's what happens when one team keeps winning, while other teams get disappointed every year. One team loses hunger while the others gain it. Just like the Wings in the late 90's, who finally overcame playoff disappointments and won the Cup. Last year was a breakout year for Chicago. This year they'll want more. Two years ago was a breakout year for Pittsburgh. Last year they wanted more and were hungry enough to win the Cup. (insert injury excuse here)

That's why it's been 25 years since a team went to the Finals three years in a row. It's not that no team during that span had the talent to do it. Fact is that many teams had the talent in the last 25 years to make it three times in a row. The fact that no one did it, further strengthens my argument. It's hard to want to win every year more than any other team does. That hunger and willingness to sacrifice is hard to repeat.

As for the injuries, yes I'm psychic. The hockey gods hate the Wings recently and have made no secrets about it. That's why we were so unfortunate with injuries last year in the playoffs, and this year has been the same.

[Theophany 110]

I think it's pretty hard for Crosby to be a Hart winner too as long as there is Malkin playing for the same team.

Like he did the first year Malkin played for the Pens?

Again, you mean?

Lids accomplished that feat in 2002.

Yeah, again. To end his career.

[VM1138 1,921]

I think the WIngs can back into the playoffs. In reality, we're not that far out of 2nd place in the West. It's just that it doesn't seem like they're capable of putting a good run together.

The question should be: Will the Wings get healthy IN TIME to make a run for the playoffs?

I still have a gut feeling we'll make it, but a lower seed and it will come down to the wire.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I'm New to LetsgoWings. I've been a wings fan since the late 80's. i was wondering from all the wings fans like myself. do you guys think when the wings get healthy. do they have a chance this season to make it back to the finals. i still don't think chicago is that good. wings have all most the same team as 2008 minus dallas drake, samuelson and hudler. kopecky wasn't that good. if we can get another scorer at the trade deadline i still think we're a cup contender. hossa goes to teams he thinks he'll win a cup with but he's a curse. huet is not a stanley cup type winning goalie. i hope the injury bug stops and we can be healthy for a long playoff run. nice to be on this site with you guys and gals. GO Wings. Let's get the cup back to where it belongs. In Detroit. I hate bettman. i think he set up last years finals so his lover crosby could win the cup. i think right after crosby won the cup. he and bettman got a hotel room for the night. that's my opinion.

Chicago is definitely good.

We definitely have a shot to go back to the Finals if (1) get healthier/stay healthier and (2) play more consistent. (2) will come a bit more when (1) slowly improves.

As iffy as things are right now, much more than we're accustomed to, I still see no need to think the WIngs won't make the playoffs at all.

[RedWingsRox 614]

We'll be lucky if we can squeek in 8th spot at this rate!

Only consolation is we play San Jose well and they are ultimate chokers.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

We'll be lucky if we can squeek in 8th spot at this rate!

Only consolation is we play San Jose well and they are ultimate chokers.

Not really, considering there is still about 70-75% of the season left to be played and we're hovering around 8th and there is so little cushion for most of the top seeds right now. Bad teams will play themselves out/fall out of the playoffs and Detroit will be fine once they get healthy. Got a long way to go before the season's over.

[AtlantaHotWings 1,135]

Bored on a conference call but this little excercise shows its going to make things interesting

Current Standings off nhl.com

GP Pts

1 San Jose 30 43

2 Chicago 26 37

3 Calgary 27 37

4 L A 29 36

5 Colorado 30 36

6 Phoenix 28 33

7 Dallas 28 33

8 Nashville 27 32

9 Van 28 32

10 Columbus 28 31

11 Detroit 27 30

Take everyone up to the same amount of GP all winning those games

1 Chicago 30 45

2 San Jose 30 43

3 Calgary 30 43

4 LA 30 38

5 Nashville 30 38

6 Phoenix 30 37

7 Dallas 30 37

8 Colorado 30 36

8 Vancouver 30 36

8 Detroit 30 36

9 Columbus 30 35

[ltgator333 3]

I almost posted in here yesterday, and I was just looking at the same numbers on TSN, that did not change my opinion (that last word is key folks) on the matter.

I think they have a slightly better than 50/50 chance of making the playoffs, and it depends on their play once the injured players come back and hopefully the roster is back to what they started with.

And of course this is all said assuming that they are able to stay around .500 for the time being, which they can provided they don't play like they did last night too often.

Either way at this point I don't mind. I am a spoiled Red Wing fan that has NEVER in the last 15 seasons seen the team not make the post season. With the injuries and worn out bodies, it could be a good thing.